God
by Goddess of the Moonlit Sky
Summary: Who do you think you are?" she cried. "Do you think you are a god?" He smirked at her, his sensuous lips curving up into a dark smile. "Kagome," he replied, his voice cold. "I AM God." Dark fic.
1. Chapter 1

Anime: Inuyasha

Genre: Horror

Summary: "_Who do you think you are?" she cried. "Do you think you're a god?" He smirked at her, his sensuous lips curving up into a dark smile. "Kagome," he replied, his voice cold. "I AM God."_

She ran away. Again. It seemed as if that was all she ever did anymore. But he made it so hard for her to stay near him though she had promised him from the beginning that she would never leave him. She pushed through the underbrush, thorns, and low-hanging tree limbs to escape from the reality that she would never be more than a jewel detector to him. He had chosen Kikyo, of that she was sure. And this time, she was more than certain; he would not come after her.

With a hollow heart she came to a river and knelt by the cool running water. She splashed her tear stained face with the crisp life-giving liquid to wash away her tears. Her dark hair curtained her face, her pale skin covered by red welts from the contact with the trees and thorns that she had encountered on her run. Pain filled her heart. His betrayal was nothing new but why did it have to hurt so bad every time? She stumbled to her feet when she heard footsteps come from behind her. She whirled around, hands clenched into fists as she prepared to deal with Inuyasha. To her horror, she found herself confronting not Inuyasha but her enemy, the devil in human form; confronting Naraku.

Her first instinct was to run but she somehow knew that running would get her nowhere. She reached behind to grab an arrow from the quiver on her back and mentally cursed when she realized she had left all her belongings back at camp. Naraku slowly smirked and took a step towards her.

"Stay back!" she ordered him and forced her voice not to tremble. Before she could summon any amount of _miko_ power he was before her, dark tendrils caressing her face in a sinful touch. She felt her stomach clench with revulsion upon his touch. His cold hands were upon her and everything became black. She submitted to the sweet darkness and everything became still. She rushed into oblivion and prayed never to return from the safety of the abyss ever again.

_________________________________________________________________

Finally. He had stolen Inuyasha's most precious tool-the key to detecting the jewel shards. He gazed down at the beautiful girl he held in his arms and smirked. It would take very little effort on his part to turn her against Inuyasha. The _hanyou_ had already done that for him. All Naraku would need to do was use a little persuasion and if that didn't work he would have to resort to further trickery. But somehow he knew taking over her mind would be simple, capturing her soul and keeping it for himself would be a treasure; his little helpless, flightless bird would be at his mercy. And he would enjoy every minute of it.


	2. Chapter 2

God: Chapter 2

A.N.: I was hoping to get WAY MORE reviews than I did. I was very disappointed. But oh well. There are some loyal reviewers out there that really want a new chapter so here it is. I'm going to have more time to write since my spring break is next week. I have a midterm to study for but I'm taking a break from that to write this chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

----When her eyes fluttered open, she found herself surrounded by darkness. The room was damp and cold and her wrists were bound with rope. She felt the rough material biting into the fragile skin of her wrists and she winced. As she attempted to wriggle free from the ropes a familiar voice broke her out of her concentration.

"Trying to get free is pointless," Kagura's careless voice informed Kagome. The wind demon stepped out of the shadows and in the dim light of the single window of the room Kagome could see the beautiful woman staring at her with bored eyes. But there was something else in Kagura's eyes, a mutual understanding; they both now knew what it was like to be bound and captured with no way to break free; with no one to free them.

---Kagome renewed her struggling, ignoring Kagura's words. There had to be some way to break free and she was determined to find it. Suddenly, the earlier events of the day came rushing back to her and she felt tears burning in her eyes. Betrayed. Kidnapped. Bound and trapped. She was all alone now with no one to comfort her and tell her it was going to be okay. She wanted Sango, even Miroku. And her mother…oh, how she wanted her mother! Kagura sighed and examined her nails with a bored expression.

----"Blubbering like an idiot won't get you anywhere," she told Kagome. "You'll only make the rope burn worse by struggling like that." Kagome raised her head to gaze at Kagura with tearful eyes. Deep down she knew that perhaps Kagura had even an ounce of kindness, that she wanted to help Kagome, but that she was afraid of the consequences should she do so. Kagura knelt down and her red eyes gazed deep into Kagome's eyes.

----"No matter where you go, if you do manage to escape, Naraku will follow. You're his little pet now. And there's no one here to save you." Kagura melted back into the shadows and left Kagome to the emptiness of her thoughts.

-----Hours later, Kagome's eyes drooped with exhaustion. Her struggling began to slow down and the once fervent wrestling with the rope was now a slow whisper of rope against skin. She was cold, hungry, and her mouth felt drier than a desert. Just as she was about to give up the ghost and allow her hands to remain bound she felt the ropes snap, setting her free. Instinctively she clutched her raw wrists and hissed at the pain that surfaced when the open rope burns came into contact with the ice cold air. Kagome felt a bit victorious after this and a bit bolder so she slowly climbed to her feet but immediately collapsed. She cursed like a sailor and felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. _Oh, Kami,_ she thought, _I'm turning into Inuyasha._ At the mention of the cursed hanyou's name Kagome felt her blood begin to boil. He had betrayed her, left her for dead. He didn't deserve her help. Her hands balled into fists held firmly at her sides and she began to tremble when she felt an inky darkness spread throughout the darkness.

------She raised her head up weakly to gaze around the room. She couldn't see anyone but she had learned from experience that just because one couldn't see anyone did not mean that someone wasn't there. She crawled forward an inch and choked back a scream when she raised her eyes to gaze into Naraku's cold, dead eyes. She crawled back away from him but he merely chuckled and was before her in a flash, his hands holding her up by her burnt wrists. She struggled and cried out in pain but it only seemed to fuel the flames. Naraku gripped tighter and held her in front of him so that he was gazing directly into her eyes.

---"Trying to escape, Kagome?" he asked her. The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine. She had never noticed how seductive his voice could be. He smirked upon seeing her visibly relax and he loosened his grip on her wrists. "I'm not letting you anywhere, pet," he informed her. "You are mine to own, mine to control, and mine to destroy." Kagome felt tears burn in her eyes and she jerked out his hold and fell to the ground.

---"Who do you think you are?" she cried. "Do you think you're a god?" He smirked at her, his sensuous lips curving up into a dark smile.

"Kagome," he replied, his voice cold. "I AM God." Dread pooled in the bottom of her stomach. She shook her head violently to get rid of the awful nausea plaguing her body.

---"You're no god," she managed to whisper before her breath left her after Naraku's knee landed hard in the center of her abdomen. Her mouth formed a perfect 'o' and she began to cough harshly.

----"I have the upper hand," he told her with a cruel smirk. "You are my pet now. And you will be the mother of the most powerful child ever born." Kagome's eyes widened in horror and then her lips curled with disgust.

---"I will never let you touch me!" she exclaimed vehemently. His cool, silky fingers traced a trail on her cheek leaving behind a burning sensation.

----"But I already have, Kagome. You are mine. Your little hanyou friend can't save you now." He began to circle Kagome. "Do you honestly think he's coming for you? Kikyo is his one true love. Where does that leave you?" Kagome tried not to think about the truth in his words but she knew that what he said was right: Inuyasha wasn't coming for her. He would never come for her.

--Naraku clapped his hands and Kanna stepped into the room holding up the mirror that seemed as if it would be way too heavy for a small girl such as her. "Kanna," he told the child demon, "it is time for us to resort to drastic measures." Kanna's hypnotizing eyes gazed at Kagome's frightened brown orbs and Kanna spoke to her, her own voice emotionless.

----"Look into the mirror, Kagome, and all will be well," she intoned. "You need no longer feel pain. You will be powerful and will be able to strike down your enemies." Kagome's eyes were transfixed by the swirling mirror. Kanna's words echoed inside her mind. No more pain? The ability to be powerful, more powerful than Kikyo? She shook her head violently trying to return to an inch of her sanity. But Kanna's voice was so alluring and the promises seemingly unattainable without Naraku's help. As much as she despised Naraku, at the moment she despised Inuyasha more. What else did she have to live for? Her eyes became blank and staring and she felt strength leave her; felt her soul leave her. Naraku leaned down and tilted her chin up so that he could gaze into her eyes.

--"What is your name?" he asked her.

--"I am Kagome," she replied in a voice devoid of all emotion.

--"Good," he said silkily. "And who am I to you?" Her voice was cold like the empty breezes of fall before winter took over the world.

--"You are my Master. I serve only you." Naraku laughed an awful laugh, a laugh full of victory and triumph. He turned to Kagura who had returned during the process of Kagome's soul being captured in the mirror. "Get her changed and place her in her room." Kagura nodded and grabbed Kagome's arm firmly before leaving the damp room. And Naraku remained, smiling.


	3. Chapter 3

God: Chapter 3

_You belong to me, my Snow White Queen_

_There's nowhere to run so let's just get it over with_

_Soon, I know you'll see, you're just like me_

_Don't scream anymore, my love, 'cause all I want is you_

~Snow White Queen, Evanescence~

A.N.: I thought that the lyrics to Evanescence's song "Snow White Queen" were very fitting for this story. Evanescence is my favorite band! Also, I've noticed that some people have been subscribing Story Alert to my other story Duty of the Heart. I just want to say that that story has been completed and there will be no more updates. Just thought I'd let y'all know so you aren't pumping me for updates on a story that is finished. In fact, all my other stories are either complete or are no longer in my to-do list meaning that I've abandoned them. I'm just now getting my inspiration and urge to write back after suffering for several years of severe depression and now that the medication is finally taking effect I've started to write again. So please be a wee bit patient with poor me. I'm dealing with two chronic, incurable illnesses, both of which are currently active and I've got school on my shoulders. If I don't bring my G.P.A. up they'll kick me out of my school and then I'll have no health insurance, no chance of getting a job, and with my poor health I would be in a serious bind. So please bear with me over these next few weeks or forever how long I decide to spread out this story.

Additional Author's Note: Updates are going to be a little slow going for a while. I'm a college student and my grades are not doing so hot and my parents are threatening cut off all my internet access which, as absurd as it may so, is a very real possibility since they are the ones that pay for the internet access.

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She felt as if she were floating, dreaming, lost in a world apart from the one she had known for so long. The feeling of peace, however, was fleeting. She rapidly became frightened of the extreme powerlessness that was overcoming her. She struggled to breathe, fought to express her fear in words, but was unable to. She was, she realized, utterly and completely powerless.

"You see, my pet," his poisonous voice echoed inside her mind, "you belong to me now. Your soul belongs to me; your very will is mine to bend and control at my whim. Your heart beats only for me; your every breath will speak my name." Somewhere deep inside her Kagome knew that something wasn't right but her mind was too fuzzy to fully comprehend the seriousness of her situation. Her soulless eyes gazed blankly out at the world as Naraku toyed with the ends of her hair. An evil smile crept across his face. She resembled his Kikyo, true, but her beauty was different than that of the older _miko. _And he possessed Kagome in every way that he had always dreamt of possessing Kikyo.

-He rose and walked to the open _shoji_ doors to gaze out at the moon. He had always believed that possessing Kagome would only be a fleeting passion and that he would tire of it once the challenge had been overcome. But now as he gazed at the pale faced, soulless queen that knelt emotionlessly in the corner of the room he felt…successful. Possessing someone as powerful as Kikyo would indeed be a treasure but he would have never been able to hold her soul under his control for Kikyo no longer possessed a soul thus negating the thrill of capturing her. Kagome, however, once had had a very strong soul and now that it was his he felt a sense of supremacy. Her heart, once bound to Inuyasha, now laid trapped in the hands of a god, a powerful master whose control would not be shattered. And as he gazed up at the moon, he smiled. Domination never felt so sweet. She who had once been the most vibrant of flowers now had become a struggling bud denied life. And she belonged to him.

-Inuyasha glowered at the roaring fire around which he and the rest of the group sat in silence. He knew they were angry at him for allowing Kagome to leave. Even Miroku refused to speak to him. Sango continuously cast glares in his direction strong enough to bring about winter. The silence was broken by Inuyasha's low, annoyed voice.  
"I'll go look for her. But it's her own dumb fault. She overreacts too much." He climbed to his feet and cast a glance at where Kagome's bow and arrow rested silently. An uneasy feeling dwelled within him. Somehow he knew that something was terribly wrong. Kagome didn't stand much chance without a weapon. If she had come across a demon…he shuddered to think of the consequences. And he knew that it would have been his fault and that the group would never forgive him and perhaps would dissolve completely in anarchy.

-As he began to move into the woods he heard the jingling of Miroku's staff. The young priest stood as well and approached Inuyasha.

"I will come with you," he said. "Lady Kagome may require medical assistance." It was almost as if the monk had read Inuyasha's mind. Inuyasha merely nodded and the two entered the dark depths of the world in search of Kagome.

-The two walked side-by-side until they reached the riverbank. Inuyasha raised his nose to the air and sniffed.

"I smell her," he said in a low voice. "Her scent is faint, but she was here." As he took another whiff of the air he growled. "And Naraku…he was here too." Miroku frowned and looked around for any sign of a struggle. The fact that there did not appear to be one worried him. Either Naraku had acted quickly and had stolen Kagome without giving her a chance to defend herself or, and he shuddered to think of it, she had gone willingly. In her anger, Kagome could have denied Inuyasha and taken a different path. The two exchanged glances, amber meeting violet, and they raced back to the camp. Decisive action needed to be taken. The fact that Naraku and Kagome were now together, whether that union was willing or not, meant that there was a greater threat than ever before. And Miroku feared there would be blood shed and not necessarily Naraku's tainted blood.

____

-She could hear him calling to her, beckoning her to his side. Her soulless eyes saw only him, her possessed mind loyal only to him, her ears hearing only his voice.

"You call for me, my master?" her voice asked softly as she rose gracefully, the sound of silk from her kimono rustling in the otherwise silent room. She felt the smooth caress of solid steel as a sword was placed in her willing hands. She had never used one before but she felt its cruel power wrap its way through her veins. The bow and arrow belonged to the weak her; this sword belonged to the woman she had become for him, only for him, to serve him, make him happy.

"Take this and deliver divine justice to the half-breed Inuyasha," he told her. "You will know what to do when the time comes." She nodded. "I will destroy Inuyasha once and for all. And you, dear Kagome, will be the hand that smites him." The name "Inuyasha" echoed dully inside her mind. It sounded so familiar with a bittersweet ring to it.

"Inu…yasha?" Naraku smirked as he saw how well his plan was coming to fruition.

"Yes, Kagome, Inuyasha is your enemy. You must destroy him at all costs. But you must defend our child above everything else. They will try and destroy him. I will be most disappointed if you allow any harm to come to him, our most precious tool." He entwined his fingers through the silken strands of her hair and pulled her closer to that her eyes were gazing deep into his. "I will not be so gentle should you allow Inuyasha and his pathetic group interfere with my plans. Destroy them. Massacre them. And when you have finished with what I tell you, bring me Inuyasha's sword." She kneeled and obeyed, with old memories screaming at her to come back to the real world. But she belonged to Naraku now, and nothing would shake that loyalty. Nothing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes: Sorry it's been so long since I updated. I've been trying to cough up enough inspiration for another chapter after being completely emptied of all inspiration due to the fact that I had three papers to write for my college classes, one six pages, one five pages, and the third being ten pages. But I'm pleased to say that the five page paper was for my anthropology class and I chose to write about **_**otaku**_** and how they're sort of a society. I scored an 89% on the paper and my professor stated, "This was an interesting paper." Ha! I always knew being an anime fan would pay off in the long run. Enjoy this chapter!**

-----Her master. He had commanded her to destroy the one called Inuyasha and though that name echoed so familiarly inside her mind, she could no longer call a face to mind in order to place that image to the name. She gazed at the heavy blade that was stretched out across the palms of her hands and was gleaming in the dim flicker of flames that danced within the confines of the fire pit. She had no memories of ever wielding a sword and yet she knew she must strike her enemy like a cobra strikes its prey. She would learn to fight with this sword, all for her Master.

-----"Kagome," he spoke, his voice puncturing the silence of the room. She lifted blank, dead eyes to gaze at him. She watched her master approach her with the grace of a hunting cat and he tipped her head back, his cool fingers curling beneath her chin. "Inuyasha will soon be approaching. You must be prepared to deal the deadly blow when the time comes." She nodded mutely knowing that words were not needed to express her obedience. Naraku, satisfied with her acquiescence, pulled away and walked across the room and passed through a set of _shoji doors_. The doors shut behind him with a gentle click and Kagome was left to remain in the room alone, left alone to her preparations for battle.

------Kagura watched him with hatred in her eyes. How she loathed him, detested him! She longed for nothing more than his death. Even if she would have to die for it and it was quite possible she would, then so be it. She turned burning crimson eyes to gaze at Kagome and the wind witch felt a brief moment of sympathy for Kagome. _The poor girl doesn't even realize that her judgment has been stolen, her ability to make choices severed. In a few days she will be up against her best friends and she'll cut them down mercilessly just like Naraku told her to do. But perhaps her inability to be in contact with the real world will help her ignore the pain she would feel otherwise after killing her friends. I never had that option. What free will I still possess has only caused me misery._ But Kagura locked the gates of her heart once more. Kagome had walked into Naraku's web so easily, leaving the safety of her companions. There was obvious weakness in her if she had allowed Naraku to steal her soul, steal her free will so easily. Kagura turned her head away and hardened her heart against Kagome. There was no use in feeling sentimental; in the end, all it did was destroy and disappoint.

-----Inuyasha and Miroku headed the group as they trudged through the heavy wooded forest. Inuyasha swung wildly with untransformed version of Tetsusaiga and slashed at low-hanging branches with an irritable scowl on his face. But deep inside he felt a huge sensation of worry and fear. Was Kagome still alive? A piece of his mind worried that Naraku had killed her outright but there was a more solid part of him that told him that she was still alive and still able to bend and break him to her will with just a simple word. He heard Miroku's priest staff jingle beside him and he turned to look at the monk.  
--"Do you sense his barrier yet?" Inuyasha asked of Miroku. Miroku nodded with a serious expression on his face.

--"Yes, we are coming closer," replied the monk. "However, there isn't much of a barrier. It's almost as if he _wants_ us to come in." Inuyasha scoffed.

--"Of course he does," Inuyasha said. "He wants a fight and it's a fight he's gonna get." Inuyasha took another step forward when Miroku grabbed his arm.

--"Wait, Inuyasha," Miroku warned, "someone is coming. Sango, be on your guard." The demon slayer nodded and readied Hiraikotsu. They stepped forward over the invisible line that marked the dividing line between the real world and Naraku's domain. And it was time for their reunion with Kagome to begin.

-----Naraku chuckled and placed his hands on Kagome's shoulders as he stood behind her.

--"They are here, Kagome," he told her softly. "It is time for you to seek and destroy." Kagome nodded mutely and gripped the sword's hilt tightly. Her feet moved soundlessly over the _tatami_ mats that made up the floor and she held the blade up into the light so that her reflection was cast in its gleaming metal. She slid the doors open and walked out into the cool night where a soft mist enveloped her and she was left with an empty void of silence that could only come from Naraku's sinister lust for death; no life lived within the barrier of Naraku's domain. No plants even bothered to grow, the trees remained withered and lifeless, and the ground was dust, the grass long since having faded under the rotting spell of Naraku's miasma. Kagome walked down the long path that led to the end of the barrier, the sword clasped firmly in her hand, and she lifted empty eyes to look at the group of the half-demon, priest, and demon slayer at the other side of the barrier.

-----"My master Naraku has spoken and has told me to destroy you," Kagome told them in her empty voice. Inuyasha growled and took a step forward.

--"Kagome, step out of it!" he ordered. "Can't you see what he's done? He's fooled you with lies!"

-------A low chuckle came from behind Kagome as one slender, pale hand rested on Kagome's shoulder.

--"No, Inuyasha, I have done more than that. I own her soul. You will have to fight Kagome if you wish to take her back with you. However, I am afraid that if you go against me directly you will be killing Kagome as well.

--"You see, I have entwined my soul with hers. What I feel, she feels ten times more. If I should feel pain, the pain for her would be unbearable. But she is incapable of begging for mercy. She could scream and scream but would not receive any mercy. She is dead to you now, Inuyasha. Turn back and leave her with me." Inuyasha struggled to comprehend this horrible truth. Looking at Kagome and at the natural way she leaned against Naraku's filthy touch and the way her eyes appeared so soulless, Inuyasha knew the truth: Kagome was truly, and utterly, gone.

---"Kagome," he whispered as the barrier faded, allowing he and the rest of the group to step forward into Naraku's domain. He held out one trembling hand, trying to get her to recognize him. She looked at him with glassy eyes and held her sword out. At first, it seemed as if she were giving the sword to him as a motion for peace. But it quickly became apparent when she began to swing at the air that she intended to strike him down and strike everyone else down that came in her path. Inuyasha dodged her wild swings adeptly all the while hurting deep down inside, hurt with the knowledge that he had done this to her, that she was now this heartless, soulless monster belonging to an even more hideous monster. She was a beautiful monster, this was true, and deep down Inuyasha still thought of her as his own, making her HIS beautiful monster, but as Tetsusaiga and Kagome's sword clanged together, Inuyasha knew there was no saving her. There was nothing he could do but deliver her into death.

--"Kagome," he told her softly and gently. "Do you want to die? Do you want me to help you?"

--"Inu…yasha," she replied weakly. "Kill…me. Do it." Naraku growled and clenched his fist. Kagome screamed in pain though Naraku had not even physically touched her. Inuyasha glared at Naraku.

--"What did you to do her?" Inuyasha demanded of the evil half-demon. Naraku gave a careless shrug.

--"Her heart, her soul, her body, they all belong to me. Kagome is just like one of my incarnations. One squeeze of her heart and it causes excruciating pain. She belongs to me, Inuyasha. And you can fight her all you want and slash at her all you want, but no matter what you do it won't kill her. You have to fight me if you want to kill her. And I, for one, have no desire to fight." With this said Naraku disappeared into the miasma leaving Inuyasha alone with the girl he still loved, the girl bent on killing him and the girl he knew he would have to kill but didn't know how. He had never felt this helpless, not when his mother had died, not when Kikyo had died. None of those had hurt him so deeply as this did. The pain was intense, the way it clawed at his heart and his conscience. She would be lost for eternity if he didn't do something. So he finally did something he never thought he would do-he ran away.

TO BE CONCLUDED IN THE FINAL CHAPTER


	5. Read This One Edited

A.N.: SO SORRY! Sorry, sorry, sorry for not updating. For my few loyal reviewers, here is the final chapter of God. I'm very sorry for not updating. Things outside of my control caused me to be unable to write, some of those things being severely depressed, being diagnosed with a serious mental illness, and complications from Ulcerative Colitis. Also, the words spoken by Kagome in the end are Japanese death poems. You can find them all here: http : / 174. 132. 129. 219 / ~jise i/haiku1 .html

(You'll have to put the spaces in)

Inuyasha moved swiftly through the tangles of vines and holes in the dirt path. He could sense Kagome nearby. If only he had the courage to turn around and collect her into his arms, assuring her that everything was all right, that he would fight for her. Around every corner he could hear her voice, hear her sobs, and hear her screams. She was being tortured by Naraku to the point that she would do anything just to get him out of her head. Inuyasha followed the sound of voices until he saw Kagome collapsed on the ground with her face in her hands, tears flowing freely.

"Release me!" she cried out. "Release me from this torture that I have endured." Her eyes focused clearly on Inuyasha for once and glared. "It is YOU that has caused this! I fought beside you, I promised you love. But you never cared for me. Only for Kikyo." She picked up her sword and nearly doubled over with the pain that Naraku was inflicting upon her from behind the shoji screen, his true image unseen by Sango and the others so that they did not know where he was truly hiding. But she clenched her teeth together and raised the sword to its full height and pointed the end of it to Inuyasha, the tip pointed directly at his heart.

"I will seal you once again, so you can rest with Kikyo." Inuyasha could see now that Naraku's influence was fading the farther away she got from him. But the hate and hostility that he had instilled in her was still clear. Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga and, against his wants and desires, pointed it at Kagome's heart.

"I don't want to fight you, Kagome," he told her softly. "Please, lower your sword and help us defeat Naraku." Kagome smiled sadly and wistfully at that.

"I'll miss you," she told him. His heart pounded in his chest. He knew what would happen when they defeated Naraku. Kagome would die for her soul would lay intertwined with Naraku's evil soul, if he even had one, for all eternity. She would be his forever with no chance of escaping.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Kagome," Inuyasha continued slowly. "We can find some way around this. I'll take you away from here, break the curse somehow." Kagome's eyes filled with immense sadness and regret.

"No. Where you are going I cannot follow. I must die here. I'll never be good enough for you and that will haunt me no matter where I go. Why, Inuyasha? Why was Kikyo so much better than me?" At this point, Kagome was sobbing pitifully. "Do you know how hard I tried, how I dreamed, that some day you would turn to me and say, "I love you"? But I never heard those words, never got that respect, that love, that feeling of passion from you. Everything I did was in vain. Everything I did just threw you more and more at Kikyo's filthy clay feet. She's a shell of a soul, Inuyasha, and now so am I! We're one in the same! And still you won't love me! I hate you!" With this, she raised her sword and moved with blinding speed towards Inuyasha, her left palm glowing with the powers of the _miko._ Just as her sword was near to plunging through his chest, she halted and broke down into another sob. "No, I won't kill you," she whispered. "That's not me. I want to die the way I should: as I truly am. I will die as a woman that loved but could not have what she so desired. I will go in peace." She pressed the blade of her sword against her chest where the heart that once beat so strongly now played a much more silent tune.

"Naraku," she began. "I know that you can hear me so hear me well. Away from your influence I have gained my true self back. And now I refuse to do your dirty work. I am taking my own life. Inuyasha and the others may attempt to fight you and I hope that they slaughter you, but I will not be the one slaughtering them. I bear no ill will against Inuyasha now and I pray that I will go in peace." Inuyasha watched as blood began to run down the length of her kimono as she pushed the blade deeper and deeper in to her body. There was no expression of pain on her face but there was an expression of bliss. Of freedom. Her breathing became rapid and then slowed as if something had touched her softly, comforting her. Yet as she did all of this, a lone tear was falling down her cheek.

"I will miss you, Summer. I will miss you, Spring," she whispered. Inuyasha grabbed the sword from her, horror evident in his eyes.

"Kagome!" he cried out as he slowly pulled out the blade. Blood fell to the ground like a brief spring shower of crimson. As he was pulling it out, he came to the conclusion that the he didn't realize how deep she had inserted the sword until he was now the one pulling it out. After the entire blade was removed, she fell to the ground and blood pooled around her, coming from the corner of her lip and from the wound site. Inuyasha cradled her broken body in his arms and looked at her with panic in his eyes.

"Don't leave me. Please don't leave me. I promise that I'll leave Kikyo. I won't ever abandon you again!" Kagome smiled sadly and placed a cold, weak hand on his tear-stained cheek.

"Shh, it's all lies you speak now. Speak something to me now about death. Speak to me to ease my passing." Inuyasha began to weep and he whispered, "I know of nothing to ease your passing save for that I always did love but could not express it." Kagome smiled fondly at him for once and whispered as her hand began to slip from his grasp as Death was coming closer," *"This final scene I'll not see_  
_to the end...my dream _  
_is fraying"

And then her hand grew slack. Inuyasha barely heard Sango's voice call out to him that Naraku was dying. Inuyasha heaved heavy sobs as he cradled Kagome's broken body in his arms, his tears falling and mixing in with the crimson. Kagome opened her eyes for one last time and whispered, "So…it is…done? Thank Kami. A bright and pleasant autumn day to make_  
_death's journey.*" And then she whispered with her dying breaths," Inuyasha… I always…always…." And then her eyes fell heavy and her body became too heavy in his arms. Inuyasha's eyes widen and he began to shake her violently.

"Kagome! Kagome!" he cried out over and over. "Tell me what you wanted to say! Tell me!" As Naraku's poisonous body melted away, and Kagome's body was fading as well, Inuyasha felt insanity drawing around him. She was really gone. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo came running and all cried out to see their beautiful friend lying broken in Inuyasha's arms. Sango let out a piteous cry and fell into Miroku's arms. Miroku assumed the prayer stance and bowed his head, allowing a few prayers to slip through his lips to coax Kagome into Heaven, to ease her troubled spirit and protect her body from evil.

"She wanted to tell me something at the end," Inuyasha whispered as he kept his head bowed. The miasma was gone and everything was growing at a rapid rate, full of fertility and life. Sango smiled sadly and touched her best friend's hand.

"I think she wanted to tell you that she forgave you and that she loved you. See now how she shows us her love? She has banished evil by forsaken her own life. Inuyasha, can't you see? She is free now. She felt such a burden with Kikyo being near. And now….now she can rest."

Inuyasha carried her body to the nearest temple which was quite a walks away and allowed a priest to bury her amongst some of the greatest priestesses that had ever served. And so it was done. They recovered the rest of the Shikon Jewel and Inuyasha was allowed to make a wish. With Kikyo at his side, he gazed at her sadly and wished that she would finally seek peace in Heaven. With those prayers uttered, she faded into dust and ascended to Heaven.

Inuyasha never loved after that. He parted from his friends and wandered alone, speaking to Kagome's spirit whom would visit him from time to time. He gave up on everything, fighting Sesshomaru, and seeking a better title for himself. And until the night that he gave up his life, Kagome was his every thought. His every bitter and regretful thought. Kikyo no longer haunted him. It was merely Kagome's presence that haunted him, and he was also haunted by thoughts of what he could have done; how he could have saved her. No one knew where he was buried. That was Kagome's secret that she kept with her from her place in the Otherworld. And the two were reunited in death, with no pain, no regrets, and no temptation. Just each other. Forever.


End file.
